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JD/PhD (Political Science)

The JD/PhD (Political Science) Program is designed for students who are interested in studying the intersection between political science and law.

The JD/PhD (Political Science) Combined Program allows students to meet the requirements for the JD and reach the "all but dissertation" stage of the PhD one year sooner than if the two degrees were taken serially. Successful candidates will qualify for the JD degree at the end of the fourth year of study and they will qualify for the PhD degree upon completing a doctoral dissertation following the fourth year of study. The program is offered jointly by the Faculty of Law and the Department of Political Science at the University of Toronto.

Admission requirements

Students applying to the JD/PhD in Political Science program must be admitted to both the Faculty of Law and the PhD in Political Science program. Candidates must, therefore, satisfy the admission requirements of both units independently, including the Law School Admission Test and all admission requirements of the PhD in Political Science program. Separate applications to each unit must be submitted.

Requirements

In the first year of the program, students complete all first year courses at the Faculty of Law.

In the second year of the program, students complete Political Science coursework and examinations, in accordance with the PhD requirements for the Political Science Department.

In the third and fourth years, students complete the requirements for the JD degree by taking upper year Law courses totaling 48 credits, including the Directed Research Program, selected in consultation with the Director of the Combined Program. Direct entry students will complete the language requirement associated with the PhD by the end of the fourth year and, in conjunction with the Directed Research Program and in consultation with their PhD thesis committees, to have moved substantially toward the preparation of a thesis proposal.

Subsequent to their fourth year, students will complete the PhD thesis.

Students may not take any courses for credit outside the Faculty of Law and the Department of Political Science without first obtaining the written permission of the Director of the Combined Program.

Course Selection:

Students must meet the Faculty of Law course selection deadline, notwithstanding the Department of Political Science course selection process. Students must submit their proposed course selections for years 2 to 4 of the program to the Director of the Combined Program prior to the applicable course selection deadlines in each year in each unit. Any subsequent course changes must be approved by the Director.

Registration and Financial Assistance

In the first year of the program, students will be registered in the Faculty of Law and will receive a deferred acceptance into the doctoral program. They will pay Law School tuition and will be eligible for assistance under the Law School's financial aid program.

In the second year, students will be registered in Political Science. They will pay the fees applicable to the PhD in Political Science. They will be eligible for graduate assistance. They will not be eligible for financial assistance from the Faculty of Law.

In the third and fourth years, students will be registered again in the Faculty of Law, pay Law School tuition and be eligible for the Law School's financial aid program.

Following their fourth year, they will once again pay fees applicable to the PhD in Political Science. They will be treated as beginning their second year of what would normally be a five year funding period. Thus, they will be eligible for a total of four years guaranteed funding while registered as a PhD student in Political Science. In order to secure such eligibility, students must apply during the first year of the combined program for OGS and SHRRC fellowships.

Grading: Grading for students in the Combined Program will be the applicable grading scheme in force at the time at the Faculty of Law and the Department of Political Science.